Angling clubs provide Christmas bonus for Fishing for Schools

Our Fishing for Schools (F4S) initiative received two very generous donations from fishing clubs last week showing the growing importance within the fishing community of supporting the anglers of the future.

F4S provides short angling courses at schools across the country, to aid the education of 12- to 18-year-olds who may not respond to traditional classroom-based learning but flourish when you get them outside onto the water.

The initiative celebrates its tenth anniversary this year and continues to grow - over the past two years the number of schools regularly taking part has increased to nearly 50.

F4S director Charles Jardine was at the Rutland Arms in Bakewell on 6 December to receive £400 from the Derbyshire group of the Grayling Society (pictured right) .

It will help to support the new Derbyshire and Yorkshire F4S group, which will start running courses in the new year.

Then on Saturday night (9 December) Charles was at the other end of the country for the Dorchester Angling Club's 140th anniversary dinner and auction (pictured left), which raised £1,785 for F4S.

Charles said: "These donations show a growing awareness in the fishing community of the importance of supporting young fishers through projects like Fishing for Schools. We are overwhelmed by the generosity shown by both these organisations and their commitment to support our sport and ensure its longevity."